The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, says his outfit has budgeted over $8 million for Ghana’s group stage campaign at the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

According to the minister, the amount will increase if the team progresses to the next level of the tournament.

Ghana is also expected to receive an amount of $9 million from FIFA for the group-stage matches.

Ghana is in Group H of the competition and will play Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.

On the floor of Parliament on Friday, Mustapha Ussif said “Our group stage appearance will cost us an estimated $8,166,200. 00”.

Read full statement below:

REVENUE GENERATION & ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE FOR QATAR 2022
Mr. Speaker,

Having qualified for the tournament, The GFA received 1.5 million US Dollars from FIFA to augment the Black Stars preparations. This amount was useful to organizing the team’s friendly matches to improve technical and managerial readiness for Qatar. Ghana will receive a further 9 million US Dollars for our group stage participation in the tournament, covering three games against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea. Our group stage appearance will cost us an estimated 8,166, 200. 00 million US Dollars.

With our sights firmly fixed on progressing through the knockout stages, I am delighted to give you more good news, Mr. Speaker. Progressing from the group stage to the round of 16 will increase the prize money from 9 million dollars to 13 million dollars.

At this stage, our expenditure will increase to 8,792,600 million dollars. When we progress from round of 16 to the quarter-final, the prize money will increase from 13 million to 17 million dollars. At this stage, our expenditure will increase from 8,792,600 million to 9,512,200 million dollars. If we progress from the quarter-final into the last four, Ghana stands to receive between 27 million dollars to 42 million dollars. At this stage, we estimate a combined expenditure of 14,184, 100 million dollars. This estimated expenditure includes appearances fees, bonuses, per diems, flight arrangements, medicals, equipment, logistics and hospitality.

Mr Speaker, whichever way we look at the revenue and expenditure commitments for Qatar 2022, the benefits of playing in the World Cup far outstrip the expenditure with several other unquantifiable benefits.
Mr Speaker, additionally, the club of each player will be given a daily amount of 10,000 US dollars throughout the stay of the player in the tournament.
In accordance with article 37 paragraph (e) of the Regulations for the FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022, each Participating Member Association, will receive prize money based on the final ranking of the FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022. I must say that, this new prize money, which is an increment over the FIFA World Cup, agreed as follows:

World Cup champions
Runners-up
Third place
Fourth place
5th-8th place (each)
9th-16th place (each)
17th-32nd place (each)
Russia 2018 has been
42 Million 30 Million 27 Million 25 Million 17 Million 13 Million 9 Million
NO.
TEAM POSITION
PRIZE MONEY IN USD
Total prize money
440 Million

SPONSORSHIP TOWARDS QATAR 2022

Mr. Speaker, the Ministry has been leading efforts following His Excellency, the president’s strategic sponsorship breakfast meeting with corporate Ghana in 2021, to source financial support. I want to use the opportunity to thank His Excellency, President Akufo Addo for his leadership and intervention that has inspired and secured several corporate sponsorship arrangements for the Black Stars ahead of Qatar 2022.

It is important to thank the likes of MTN, KGL and the others. I am appealing to corporate Ghana to heed H. E the presidents’ call for support for the Black Stars ahead of Qatar 2022.

Additionally, the general public is encouraged to support Ghana’s campaign in Qatar 2022 by playing the Stars 4 Qatar initiative via USSD *899# across networks. This is open to everyone and with as low as 2 cedis, one can play this game with the chance of winning wonderful prizes including a trip to cheer the Black Stars to victory in Qatar.

CHALLENGES:

The preparation of the Black Stars for Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, has not been without challenges. Extensive strategic efforts towards the tournament notwithstanding, challenges across generating the required funding and the timing of clubs releasing players for the final phase of team preparation, pose significant obstacles to our overall objectives.
However, the Ministry of Youth and Sports is in constant deliberations with the GFA and other relevant individuals, groups, institutions and organizations in a continuous effort to minimize the challenges to ensure utmost preparations for Qatar 2022.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to overcome the identified challenges and harness the prospects of effective preparation for Qatar 2022, the Ministry of Youth and Sports is undertaking the following actions:
i. Ensuring intensive pre-tournament preparation: The Black Stars team will continually receive ‘total’ support as has been the case throughout qualifiers till date across funding, organization and backing to ensure absolute readiness to achieve the targets for Qatar 2022.

ii. Reinforcing the playing body: The Ministry will continue to collaborate with the GFA to ensure that the technical team’s request for player reinforcement through effective scouting of local and foreign-based talents will be achieved.

iii. Aggressive Support Base: The Ministry is working with corporate Ghana to organize massive support for the Black Stars in Qatar.

iv. Funding: The support from corporate Ghana, emanating from His Excellency, the President’s Breakfast Meeting, is being leveraged. However, as the exigencies demand, the Ministry of Finance will be encouraged to provide the necessary funding, especially, for the most crucial activities.

RT. HONOURABLE SPEAKER, Ghana’s preparations towards Qatar 2022 is progressing along designed strategy to ensure utmost performance. Through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, government is providing the needed resourcefulness and facilitation across relevant areas incorporating the technical team, playing body, organized support and the backing of the entire nation towards achieving a memorable participation and performance.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RT. HONOURABLE SPEAKER, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.